Golf Tip
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Systems for Success
   
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Lakefield Ontario Has Small Town Charm ' And Great Accommodation
Lakefield is a beautiful little town nestled in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario. Just a short two hour drive from Toronto (and a mere ten minutes from .....
Lakefield is a beautiful little town nestled in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario. Just a short two hour drive from Toronto (and a mere ten minutes from .....
What does it take to succeed? How many times have you asked that
question of yourself and others? You may have heard many
different answers. I have found one thing that successful people
have in common. They use systems.
They may or may not have talent. If they did they learned not to
rely on talent alone. Talent is seductive. For example, if you
are talented at golf you might be tempted not to practice. You
might believe you can wing it. Tiger Woods never wings it. Wayne
Gretzky never winged it. Both of them are tremendously talented
at their sport. But they know not to rely on that talent alone.
They developed systems.
What is a system? A set of practices, procedures and habits
melded into a process that you learn, perform, evaluate, improve
and do again - repeatedly. Everything that you do can be a
process. This applies in your personal life but especially to
your business. To run a marathon requires a simple system -
training, diet, measurement and repetition. The hard part is
taking the 70,000 steps to complete the race. Your business is
more like a marathon than a sprint.
Everything in your business begs for a system. Business is real
simple that way; discover the system and do it. And systems by
their nature are simple. They demand only persistence and
consistence.
Let's look at the most important aspect to your business -
sales. If you don't sell you die. Can't get more important than
that. Selling is not luck or talent - it is a process. You find
a client who wants your product, they see the value in buying
from you, they can afford it, and they buy. That is over
simplified but that is the process. Depending on the business
you are in you learn the details of each step and apply them. A
friend of mine told me that he knows how many million dollar
clients he will get this month and the one after. Why? Because
he knows the process and where to find them. The difference
between the $10,000 client and the $1million client is where to
look. The selling process is the same. The only difference is
the system of where you look. To maximize his sales he keeps
reapplying the process (system) and strives to find
opportunities for improving efficiency in the system.
The second most important activity in your business is
marketing. Why? Because marketing is everything you do that
makes it easier to sell. Here is where following a system is
even more important. Marketing is about sending messages.
Building your visibility, credibility, value, character and
reputation takes time. And the results are difficult to measure.
You might be tempted to give up too soon.
What marketing systems do you have in place? You might consider
implementing some of these.
Send thank you notes. Carry pre-stamped envelopes and cards in
your brief case so you can write the notes in a waiting room, on
the plane or while having a coffee. Thank customers for
business, opportunities and meetings. Thank others for
recommending a book, introducing you to a prospect, or hosting a
great meeting.
Write notes of congratulations. Pick a time each day for this
activity. It might be first thing, last thing, while on hold,
waiting for the computer to backup or during breakfast. Read the
news. Did you read about a client, colleague or someone you want
to meet? Send them a quick note.
Send news releases about your company to the media. Learn how to
write one. Build a database of media contacts. Develop a
template. Plan to send one out regularly. Look for opportunities
and angles and send them out. Don't get upset if every one isn't
used. Do it consistently - some of them will be.
Make your cold calling systematic. Write your cold call
telephone script. Rehearse it. Improve it. Analyze who your best
prospects are. Select those names. Schedule your calling times.
Then call. Deliver your script. Then do the next one. At the end
of the scheduled time, stop. Don't keep calling just because you
feel good. Plan then follow it. There is much less pain that
way.
Don't be caught by surprise by voice mail, a gatekeeper or the
CEO on the phone. Prepare what you will say to each. Write your
script, edit, rehearse then tape yourself. Then improve. They
will think you are so clever when you know the right thing to
say. Don't count on luck - build that system.
Attend a networking function. Decide your goals for attending.
You may want to meet three new people, touch base with two
clients, or connect with the CEO. If you know what you want you
are more likely to find it. After you achieved your goals you
The 13 Key Success Factors Of A Well-Executed Joint Venture
1. Product or Service That Sells Well
You want to find a product / service that sells, and sells well. You need something that people want, not something that people need. People .....
might relax and just socialize. Consider that your reward. All1. Product or Service That Sells Well
You want to find a product / service that sells, and sells well. You need something that people want, not something that people need. People .....
your systems should have checkpoints and rewards - along with
penalties.
Do you use a computer? Success with your computer emanates from
learning and practising systems. You learn the software,
shortcuts and tips. You must develop systems to protect your
computer. Backup regularly. Scan for viruses. Use passwords. I
guarantee you, deviate from your system of backups and sure
enough Murphy will appear to teach you a lesson.
Life is simple. Success is simple. Business is simple. There
will be complicated moments, confusing dilemmas, and challenging
enigmas. These are meant to test your patience, virtue and
self-confidence. Be clear, be persistent, be consistent and
practise systems.
About the author:
George Torok is co-author of the national bestseller, "Secrets
of Power Marketing", Canada's first guide to personal marketing
for the non-marketer. He delivers seminars and keynotes to
corporations and associations across North America. He can be
reached at 800-304-304-1861 For more information or to receive
your free marketing tips visit www.Torok.com